Method and apparatus for attaching muzzle devices to guns



Dec. 15, 1953 E. a. POWELL ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING MUZZLE DEVICES TO GUNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mYEw N a 1 a 2w 2 E 6 4 i 6 P E 0 wi 2/ f 9 MW M. W M A.

- FIJQANMA DW/IED .5

Filed Jan. 26, 1949 Dec. 15, 1953 A E. B. POWELL ETAL ,66 66 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING MUZZLE DEVICES T0 GUNS Filed Jan. 26, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [WENT-ores. .FA/VK A. B4HMA YR,

531M490 BADEN Paws, 1! BY ATTOEA/ES. v

Patented Dec. 15, 1953 lim'riion m. APPARATUS FOR ATTAGHING MUzzLEinEvIcEs TOGUNS EHWariI BaGen PoWII, Pasadena, and A. PachmayniLos Angeles, Calif.

"AppIicationIJanuary'ZG, 1949, SerialNo. 7 2;824

-11 Claims. 1 This invention relates generally-to improved apparatus and methods-for attaching'muzzle-devices to gun barrels.

In attaching a "muzzle device *toa 'shotgun barrel according toconventi-onalmethods, it is very difficult to assure correctalinement' or the barrel and device-when first-secured together,

and it is thus usually n'ecessary to'bend the'gun muzzle to a certain extent aiter attachment 'of the device to correct for any slightmisa'linement.

Further, if the 'muzzledevice is of *alarger external diameter th'an'the' gun barrel; as is usually the case, it' is necessary to bend the barrel slightly upwardly to correct for" the sighting error introduced by the resultantelevationof thefforward gun sights. Thus; the complete'application of a muzzle device'hasj in thepast; been-a rather laborious time consuming operation, and has generally proved'ver'yexpensive.

A major object of the present inventionis to provide apparatus "and methods for installing such muzzle attachments in a manner greatly reducing thetime required for application and positively assuring accurate alin'ement of the attachment with respect to the gun muzzle. In accordance --with the invention; c'ertain'-*of-these results are achieved by the employmentof means for maintaining the muzzle end ofa' barreland a muzzle attachment predetermined relation during the formation'of a fusdboiid. may be effected by use-of a locating a'rbom conjunction with other locating means, adapted -to extend through a' muzz'le device and intothe muzzle end of a gun-formaintainingthemin axial alinem'ent. A second locating and mounting element may be employed for retaining 'the opposite or receiver end of the barrel ina predetermined location. 7

We provide also novel heating means disposed adjacent the engagingportions-of "the barrel and muzzle attachment and especially adapted *to locally heat the barrel for simultaneously effecting either or both of the dual purposes of fusing bonding material for securing the two parts -together and conditioning the barrel for a subsequent bending operation. 'A bending-unit may then be brought into-engagement with the heated barrel near the muzzle' attachment 'toslightly bend the muzzle 'while'still maintaining the attachment and muzzle end ofthe gun in the desired predetermined axia'l-ly alinied r el'ation. Preferably, the-heatingzmeansiextends about the gun barrel and attachment and mayrztake'rthe form of i an 'annular electrical:ainduction wcoil adapted to' serve also -as'-a1 coolingmnit. .u'l he mounting or locating apparatuseis -desirably-;operable to axially retracta gun barreliiromr within the I heating unit-after the -attaching process. to permit its removal from the apparatus.

,2 Theapparatus; disclosedj'herein is particularly adapted foriassui'ingithat. the bendingof the. barrel can takefplace onlyiinthede'sird direction and" toaj'zpredetermined optimum ,extent. L'Such control is preferablyieffected,bythe employment or a shaft carrying" the previously describedfloeating arbor'for movement inla jsingle,.p1ane,.'.in conjunction with *means for limiting the permitted rotationof ,i'the shaft to wthuslimit the bending of'the barrel.

The above and iurther Jieatures I and. objects of the present invention will. bebetter. understood from the following detailed .descriptionof the typical embodiment'illustrated in the accompanying drawingsfin which:

Fi 1 is a front elevation of, theattaching-apparatus, 'with" thegun' barrel and ,muzzle attachment illustrated .inldot dash lines;

Fig; 2 is a side eleva'tionof the. apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an' 'e'nlargedfragmentary.vertical-section through the upper"locating apparatus and taken on line 3-13 otjEig; 1;

Fig.4 is anenlarged fragmentary horizontal section takenonjinei 4 4.,,of Fig. l

Fig; 5'is an.enla rged' fragmentary.vertical-section' through; the lower locating andben'dingapparatus taken on "line' 5'f5, of Fig.1 1; and

Fig. .6' is: an enlarged fragmentary horizontal section showing .thebend n apparatus and taken online 6-''6" of Fig; 1.

Referring first to Figs. 1v andi 2, the, illustrated apparatus is carried byiramewo'rk 1.0 and comprisesessentially an upper locating or mounting assembly generally indicated at l I, ,,a lower mounting assembly 12, bending. Iunit SI 3,, and heating coil 14. :Framework;'l0' includesmalpair of spacedvertically extendin ichanneLmembers l5 and 16; secured together at their lower-ends. and maintained .in upstanding, condition by. .aepair of angle irons H. j A shorter, channelmember .l 8 extends horizontally: between the upper, ends .,of ranembers. l5 and IE to form a ,rigid-frame strucure.

' Upper mounting; assembly l l .in'cludes a vertical slidingmlate'lil"disposed at.,t he. outside of channels" "I 5" and "I 6' iandoVerlaDPing the outer surfaces or channel fianges-Bt and-9B= rat-'20 and thus 'form a:pairof guiding recesses within which .the plateis verticallyislidable. .Gibs'22. are-spaced :from their-respective channels. adistanceeappnoximatelyequal torthez-thiokness ofathefsliding plate by spacers 23,;thegibs and spacers being retained iinvthe illustrated positions by bolts 24, which-em tend throughtheaehannel ,fianges to threadedly engage'clamping plates 25.

On its outer surface, the sliding plate remov ably carries a locating block 26 especially designed to correspond in configuration to the internal recess of receiver 21 of gun barrel 28. The locat ing block is removably secured to the plate by screws 20, to permit ready interchangeability of blocks having unlike shapes corresponding to the receivers of different makes of guns. At the lower end of its outer surface, plate I9 carries a horizontally disposed outwardly projecting support 32, removably secured to the plate, as by bolts 30, and having a recess 3| within which the gun barrel is receivable. As will be understood, with. the barrel and receiver mounted to the illustrated apparatus, the lower extremity of 'receiver 21 engages support 32 at 33 to vertically locate the barrel.

Extending vertically along the inner surface of plate I9 is a toothed rack 34 secured to the plate as by bolts 35. Shaft 3'6 extends through openings 31 in channels I and I5, and is rotatably supported by bearings 38, which are carried by the respective channels in any convenient manner. Thrust sleeves 39 are secured to the shaft outwardly of the bearings to retain the shaft against lateral displacement. At a central loca- Upwardly beyond portion 59, the arbor presents a reduced diameter portion 6| of an external diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of gun barrel 28, and of a length permitting its reception within the lower end of the gunmuzzle. With the gun barrel and muzzle attachment mounted on the apparatus as illustrated, the

' upper end of the arbor is approximately at the same elevation as the upper end of muzzle attachment 60. The arbor, by virtue of its two unlike external diameters, acts to positively retain the muzzle device and the muzzle end of barrel 28in accurate axial alinement both before and tion, shaft 36 carries gear 40, keyed to the shaft v at I I! and engageable with rack 34 to control the vertical position of sliding plate I9. At one end, shaft 38 carries control wheel 4 l which may have a control handle 42. Thus, clockwise rotation of wheel M as seen in Fig. 2 rotates shaft and gear 40 to displace rack 34 and plate I9 upwardly and effect upward axial retraction of barrel 28.

Depending elongated stud 43 is threadedly receivable within an opening in the lower end of plate I9, and carries, beneath the plate, a pair of stop nuts 44. Stop plate 45 (see Fig. 1) extends between the outer surfaces of channel flanges 86 and 98 beneath the plate and its retaining gibs, and is secured to the flanges, as by bolts 45. Plate 45 has a central vertically extending opening 41, through which stud 43 extends, and at the upper end of which stop bushing 48 is contained. The lower one of the nuts 44 engages the upper surface of bushing 48 to limit downward displacement of plate IS, the limiting position being easily adjustable by movement of the nuts along the stud.

Lower mounting assembly I2 includes a transversely extending shaft 49 rotatably retained by bearings 50, which are secured to the forward as by bolts 5|. Thrust collars 52 are carried by shaft 49 outwardly of the two bearings and may be rigidly secured to the shaft by set screws 53.

during heating andbending of the barrel.

Bracket 62 is secured by bolt 63 to the outer surface of shaft enlargement 54, and extends upwardly to present a substantially horizontal barrel portion 64. This barrel portion has an internal bore 65 within which plunger 05 is slidably receivable. Coil spring Bl urges the plunger to the right, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, in which position pin or projection 68 is receivable within the opening in the upper surface of muzzle device 60 provided for the forward gun sight. The pin thus serves to retain the muzzle device against rotation relative to the barrel. At its outer end, reduced diameter portion 69 of plunger 66 carries an operating knob 10, retained on the plunger as by cotter key II. Knob I0 permits outward retraction of the plunger and its pin 68 to permit removal of the gun barrel and its attached muzzle device after the applying operation has been completed. Slot 72 in bracket 62 permits adjustment of the bracket relative to shaft 49 to allow use of the apparatus for applying various types of muzzle devices having differently located sight receiving openings.

, tive to their respective arms. Stop pin 8I, which may have faces 82 and 63 angularly disposed for full contact with the inner ends of studs TI and I8, projects from the base of bearing to engage the studs and limit rotation of the shaft. Thus,

the studs may be adjusted to accurately deflanges of channels I5 and I6 at their lower ends,

These set screws permit lateral adjustment of I shaft 49 to enable accurate alinement of the lower mounting assembly with the upper mounting assembly to thus assure accurate alinement of the muzzle attachment with respect to the gun barrel.

Shaft 49 has an enlarged central portion 54 of substantially rectangular configuration, having a radially extending transverse opening (see Fig. 5) through which arbor 56 passes. Nuts 51 and 58 threadedly engage the arbor at opposite sides of enlarged portion 54 of the shaft to rigidly retain the arbor in perpendicularly extending relation to the shaft. The nuts permit regulation of the upwardly projecting extent of the arbor. Above its lower threaded portion, the arbor has a cylindrical portion 59 of an external diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of muzzle attachment and thus adapted to retain the muzzle attachment in a predetermined position.

termine the amount of bending to which barrel 28 is subjected.

Bending unit I3, as best seen in Fig. 6, includes an eye bolt 84 extending through openings in flanges 85 and 80 of channel member I5, and is rigidly retained in predetermined relation to the channel member by nuts 8! and 88 at the sides of the flanges. Eye 89 of bolt 84 pivotally carries bending lever 90 by bolt or pin 9|. Lever 50 carries a barrel engaging element, 92, as by bolt 93, the element presenting an inner arcuate barrel engaging surface 94 of a diameter corresponding to the external diameter of barrel 28. At its free end, lever 90 presents an outer curved cam surface 95 against which bending pressure is exerted.

Eye bolt 96 passes through flanges 91 and 08 of channel I6, its outward displacement being limited by nut 99, and its inward displacement being resiliently restrained by coil spring I00 against which nut IOI bears. Eye I 02 of bolt 96 pivotally carries operating arm assembly I03 by pin I04, which may be retained at either end by a cotter key I05. The arm assembly includes a senate p ir ofspaced arms I05 having an intermediate roller lo'hrotatably retained between them by .pin I08. Similarly, a spacer H may be disposed between the outer ends of arms I06: As will be understood; leftward movement of arm assembly I03 causes roller ID! to engage cam surface '95 on lever 90 and tlius effect inward bending movement of the bending lever. As best seen in Fig. 5, element 92 engages the barrel atapoint immediately beyond muzzle attachment 60 and the reduced diameter portien SI of the arbor.

Electrical induction heating coil l4 isformed of a limited number of turns of electrically conductive tubing I I I r This tubing is connected at its ends to an eleotrical supply in known manner and disposed about the barrel and muzzle attachment at their areas of engagement to locally heat them by inducing current flow within them. Tubing III presents a number of inwardly facing openings I I2, and is thusadapted to act also as a cooling unit by passage of cooling air through the tubing and from these openings I I2 onto the heated barrel and muzzle attachment The heating coil is suitably supported from the framework, as by insulating support I I3. i s

In using the apparatus, the muzzle attachment is first placed about arbor 56 in the illustrated position. Barrel 28 is then mounted as shown. with its muzzle end disposed about the upper end of the arbor andwithin the upper end of the muzzle attachment; and with receiver 2I about locating block 26 and above support 32. When thus mounted on the apparatus, the muzzle end of the barrel and the muzzle attachment are positiyel-y retained in axially alined positions.

During the mounting of the barrel and attachment, fusible bonding material is placed in a suitable position of engagement with both units to form a fusedbond when heated. Preferably, a

ring of bonding material is placed about the muzzle end of the barrel to engage the inner surface of th'e rearwa'rd portion of the muzzle attachment. If the rear portion of the attachment is formed inthe usual manner, i. e. as a pair of sections including an adapter II4 receivable about the barrel and a forwardly extending cage portion I I5 to be carried by the adapter, an additional ring of bonding material may be placed between the engaging surfaces of these two sections at II6 to be fused simultaneously with the attaching bonding material. a a a After the muzzle attachinentand barrel have been mounted on the apparatus in the illustrated. positions, heating element is energized by supplying electricalenergy to the opposite ends of tube III to locally heat the barreLthe attachment, and the two rings of bonding material. such heating fuses the two rings of bonding material to form rigid connections between the barrel and ada'pter I I4 and between the adapter and cage H5. The heating also effectively conditions that portion of the barrel immediately to the rear of the muzzle attachment for bending, After the bonding material has been fused and the barrel is locally heated enough to iacilitate bending, arm assembly I03 is pivoted to the left as seen in i'ig. 6 to engage cam surface 95 on lever Bil and cause inward movement of the lever. Such inward movement of lever 90 effects inward bending of the barrel by element 92 ata location immediately beyond the muzzleattachment and the reduced portion SI of the arbor. Since "shaft 49 can rotate my about a single axis, the arbor is positively nemes s; movement in a siliigle inward direction, and thus no lateral bending can occur. During the fusing and tearing processes. pin 68 retains theniuzzle attachment in the rect rotative relation to 'barrei 28. Also, error 55 retains the attachment and the muzzle east: the gun, that is that portion of the muzzle within which its reduced diameter portion BI is received, in axially alind relation. The enlarged portion 59 of the arbor correct alineinerit of the muzzle attachment, and the reduced diameter portion BI assures identical ass-a1 aliiiement of the gun muzzle. The amount of bending isdetermined by engagement of stud TI on stop I3 with surface}! of pin 8|, and thus may be accurately controlled.

After the bending operation has been cdfnpleted, the electrical supply tothe heating element is disconnected, and coolihg 'aiiisreicea into one end of the tube for passage out of openings H2 and onto heated parts. Lever 9D is then pivoted out of engagement with the barrel, andpin 68 is withdrawn from the sight opening in thecage by outward movement of knob ID. Control wheel 4I may then be rotated by handle 42 in a clockwise direction seen in Fig. 2 to move sliding plate I9 upwardly by virtueof gear 48 and rack 34. Such upward moveinent of the sliding plate retracts barrel {8 and the muzzle attachment axially or upwardly from within the annular heating element and fro'rn aboutarborbli to permit dismounting of the barrel from the apparatus.

We claim: I p I 1. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrel, comprisin a support, means for mounting the barrel and attachment to said support with said attachment in 'predetermined relation to the muzzle end of the barrel, heating means mounted in prexiinate relation to said barrel and attachment for locally heating them at an area of interengagement to simulta neously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending, and a member movably mounted to the support for engaging and longitudinally bending said heated barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel. I Y

2. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrehcomprising a support, a shaft rotatably carried by said support, an arbor carried by said shaft and extending perpendicularly therefrom to extend threugh the attachment and into the muzzle end of the barrel to maintain said attachment and muzzle end in predetermined axially aligned relation; heating means mounted in proximate relation to said barrel and attachment for locally heating them at an area of interengagementto simultaneously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending a-nd a member movably mounted to the support for engaging and longitudinally bending said heated barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel, said shaft and arbor limiting the bending to a single predetermined direction;

3. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrel, comprising a support,

cluding an arbor adapted to extend through the attachment and into the muzzle end of the barrel to maintain said attachment and muzzle end in piaaermineasxau aligned relation, heating means mounted in proximate relation to said barrel and attachment for locally heating them at an area of interengagement to simultaneously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending, and a member movably carried by said support for engaging the heated barrel immediately beyond the end of said arbor and longitudinally bending said barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel. i

l. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrel, comprising a support, means for mounting the barrel and attachment to said support with said attachment in predetermined relation to the muzzle end of the barrel, annular heating means extending about said barrel and attachment for locally heating them at an area of interengagement to simultaneously fuse bondin material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending, and a member movably mounted to the support for engaging and longitudinally bending said heated barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel.

5. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment .to a gun barrel, comprising a support, means for mounting the barrel and attachment to said support with said attachment in predetermined relation to the muzzle end of the barrel, an electrical induction coil extending about said barrel and attachment means mounted in proximate relation to said barrel and attachment for locally heating them at an area of interengagement to simultaneously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending, and a member movably mounted to the support for engaging and longitudinally bending said heated barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel.

6. Apparatus comprising a support, means for mounting a gun barrel and muzzle attachment to said support with said attachment in predetermined relation to the muzzle end of the barrel, said mounting means including a plate slidable relative to said support and axially of the barrel when mounted thereto, and including a locating block carried by said plate and receivable within the receiver of said gun barrel, means mounted in proximate relation to the barrel to locally heat said barrel in the vicinity of said attachment, a toothed rack carried by said plate, and

a gear engageable with said rack and rotatable relative to said support to move said plate and block and thereby axially retract said barrel after said heating.

'7. The method of applying a muzzle attach-v ment to the barrel of a gun, including mounting the attachment in predetermined relation to the muzzle end of the gun with fusible bonding material disposed at an area of interengagement, locally heating said barrel in the vicinity of said attachment to simultaneously fuse said bonding material and condition said barrel for bending, and longitudinally bending the barrel in the heated area to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end.

8. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrel, comprising a support to which the barrel and attachment may be mounted with the attachment substantially alined with the barrel, a heater mounted to the support for locally heating the barrel and attachment at an area of interengagement to simultaneously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition the barrel for bending, a member movably carried by the support for engaging and longitudinally bending the barrel, and means carried by the support for axially retracting the barrel away from the heater after said bending operation.

9. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrel, comprising a support, means for mounting the barrel and attachment to said support, said mounting means including an arbor adapted to extend through the attachment and into the muzzle end of the barrel to maintain said attachment and muzzle end in predetermined axially alined relation, heating means mounted in proximate relation to said barrel and attachment for locally heating them at an area of interengagement to simultaneously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending, a member movably carried by said support for engaging the heated barrel immediately beyond the end of said arbor and longitudinally bending said barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel, said mounting means including an element engaging a receiver end of said barrel and movable in a direction to axially retract the barrel from about said arbor and from said heating means, and mean for moving said element to so retract the barrel.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, including means mounting said arbor for swinging movement in accordance with said bending of the barrel.

11. Apparatus for applying a muzzle attachment to a gun barrel, comprising a support, a shaft rotatably carried by said support, an arbor carried by said shaft and extending perpendicularly therefrom to extend through the attachment and into the muzzle end of the barrel to maintain said attachment and muzzle end in predetermined axially alined relation, an annular heater element disposed about the barrel in proximate relation to the attachment for 10- cally heating the barrel and attachment at an area of interengagement to simultaneously fuse bonding material disposed in said area and condition said barrel for bending, a member movably mounted to the support for engaging and longitudinally bending said heated barrel to correct for sighting error while maintaining said attachment in said predetermined relation to said muzzle end of the barrel, said shaft and arbor limiting the bending to a single predetermined direction, a stop limiting the extent of said swinging movement of the arbor, said mounting means including a block projecting transversely into a recess in a receiver end of the gun barrel and movable in a direction to axially retract the barrel from the arbor and heater element, and means for so moving the block.

EDWARD BADEN POWELL. FRANK A. PACHMAYR.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,239,538 Spansel Sept. 11, 1917 2,056,155 Brinkman Oct. 6, 1936 2,496,950 Marcus et a1. Feb. 7, 1950 

